Toy



J. A. BURRISS;

TOY.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.2I, 1918. RENEWED APR. 30, 1920.

1 ,363,307. Y Patented D60- 28, 1920.

said handle.

, UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' JOHN A. BURRISS, OF DES MOINES, IOWA.

TOY.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented D 28 1920 Application filed January 21, 1918, Serial No. 212,983; Renewed April 30, 1920. SeriaLNo. 378,014.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, John A. BURRISS, citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Des Moines, Polk count Iowa have invented a new and useful loy, of which the following is a specification.

The, object of this invention is to provide an improved constructionfor a top and means for spinning the same.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved construction for a holder for a top to initiate the spinning of said top.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of elements hereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated by the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure l is a side elevation showing the holder and top mounted therein. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan of a portion of the holder, showing a slightly modified construction.

Fig. 4; is an elevation of the top. showing a construction modified somewhat from that shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 5 is a side clevation, opposite to Fig. 1, showing the holder modified particularly for use with the top shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is an end view of the same.

In the construction of the device as shown a holder is employed, comprising a handle portion 10 and a head portion 11 integral therewith and preferably somewhat enlarged in its vertical dimension relative to The head 11 is formed with a vertical slot 12 opening to its outer end and a horizontal slot 13 opening to its outer end and crossing said vertical slot, both of said slots being centrally located in said head, the slot 13 preferably being of greater length than the slot 12. For use in connee tion with the holder so formed a top is provided, having a body portionl i suitably tapered to a spinning point, and an upwardly extending stem or spindle 15 centrally of said body. The stem or spindle 15 of the top preferably is slightly longer than the vertical dimension of the head 11 of the holder, and said stem or spindle is adapted to be mounted therein as shown, through the vertical slot 12, with the upper end projecting above said head and the top body 14 depending below-the holder. The vertical slot 12 is formed with a curved hearing or seat 16 at its inner end corre- .s onding in curvature to the stem or s incord and permits the free end thereof to' project laterally from the holder as shown for manipulation to impart spinning motion to the top. The cord 18 preferably is so wound that the free end emerges at the outer side of the spindle, or the side away from the bearing 16 of the slot 12, so that the tendency, in applying draft to said cord, is to hold the spindle or stem 15 in its bearing until the cord is removed.

In use the parts are assembled as shown, the top being retained in the holder by contact of the point thereof with or surface on which the top is to spin, or by contact of a finger of the operator, on the hand engaging the handle 10, with the upwardly projecting end of the stem 15 to hold said stem in the bearing 16. The 0 erator then employs his other hand to appl draft to the cord 18 to the'end of unwin ing said cord from the reduced portion 17 of the spindle, and imparting a rotary motion to the top. lVhen the cord is released from the spindle the top is removed from the holder by either downward or outward movementthrough the slot 12, and will spin for quite a long time.

In the modification shown in Fig. 3 one of the upper arms of the head 11" is cut away or shortened as at l9.- This is on the rear side of the holder, or on the side away from which the stem 15 is turning in its rotary motion, and it is the function of this and prevent downward movement of the top. In other words the top is suspended in the holder by engagement of the head WVhen the top is .mounted in this form of holder the knob or head 20 rests on the head 11 and contacts with the forward arm of said head, which is in the same plane as the head proper, but does not contact with the reararm 21, which is in a lower plane. The rotary motion of the head 20, contacting on one side only, and that on the side toward which it is moving,

through the slot 12, after the cord 18 is released, to the end of removing the top from" the holder. It is to be understood, however, that either form of top shown may be e1nployed with either form of holder, the special modifications being shown as illustrative of constructions and arrangements which may be employed without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I do not desire to be understood as limiting myself to any particular form or construction of top or holder except as defined by the appended claims.

By employingthe holder here shown and described, a top may be imparted a spinning motion with ease and the top will spin much longer than if the spinning were initiated without mechanical adjuncts. A heavier top, that will gain more momentum, can be spun in this manner than could be spun by the fingers alone.

. I claim as my invention- 1. A device of the class described, comprising a holder formed with a vertical, end-opening slot at one end, and also formed with a horizontal, end-opening slot crossing said vertical slot, said horizontal slot being longer than said vertical slot, and a top formed with an upwardly projecting stem adapted to be seated in said vertical slot. Said stem being formed with a reduced portion registering with said horizontal slot. and adapted to receive a cord.

2. A device of the class described, com prising a holder formed with a vertical slot at one end, and also formed with a horizontal slot crossing said vertical slot, said horizontal slot being of greater length and also of greater breadth than said vertical slot, and a top formed with a stem adapted gives to said 'head a tendency to travel outwardly and adapted to receive a cord, said cord adapted to pass laterally through said horizontal slot at right angles to the trend of .said vertical slot. 7

3. A device of the class described, comprising a holder formed with a vertical slot at one end, and also formed with a horizontal slot crossing said vertical slot, and a top formed with a stem located above the body thereof and adapted to pass upwardly through said vertical slot, said stem being adapted to receive a cord adapted to pass laterally through said horizontal slot, said holder being located wholly above the body of the top.

4:. A device of the class described, comprising a holder formed with a vertical slot at one end, and also formed with a horizontal slot crossing said vertical slot, and a top formed with an rupwardly projecting stem, the body of the top being adapted for mounting below said holder with the stem projecting through said vertical slot, said stem being adapted to receive a cord' passing through said horizontal slot, said stem being formed with an enlarged head adapted to rest on top of said holder.

5. A device of the class described, com prising a holder formed with a vertical'slot at one end, and also formed with a horizontal slot crossing said vertical slot, and a top formed with an upwardly projecting stem. the body of the top being adapted for mounting wholly below said holder with the stem projecting upwardly through said vertical slot, the upper rear arm of said holder formed by said intersecting slots being foreshortened for engagement of the operators finger with the upper end of said stem.

6. A device of the class described, comprising a holder formed with a vertical slot at one end, and also formed with a horizontal slot crossing said vertical slot, and a top formed with an upwardly projecting stem, the body of the top being adapted for mounting beneath said holder with the stem projecting upwardly through said vertical slot, said stem being formed at its upper end with an enlarged head adapted to contact with the top of the holder, the upper rear arm of the holder, formed by the intersecting slots, being of less elevation than the plane of the top of the holder, and not contacted by said head.

Signed by me at Des Moines. Iowa, this eighteenth day of January, 1917.

JOHN A. BURRISS. 

